Can't Let You Go
by Audra Manoso
Summary: Stephanie sees something she shouldn't have. Short two chapter story. Babe.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: none of the characters are mine.**

I walked to the elevator excited to surprise my…I didn't know what to call him. Boyfriend didn't seem like the right word to describe him. We were more than that. Ricardo Carlos Manoso AKA Ranger was the love of my life, my mentor, my best friend and the father of the child I was carrying. He didn't know about the last one yet and that was what I was here to tell him. We'd been trying for a baby for the last few months and now that it had finally happened I had a plan on how to tell him. A plan I was going to initiate that very morning. (So what if it was already one in the afternoon? It's morning to me.)

Anyway, I danced towards Ranger's office waving and greeting the merry men as I went. I was smiling at something Lester, who was in his cubicle to my left, said when I ran into a huge black wall.

The wall reached out and steadied me. Then, when I saw it was Tank, I smiled up at him. "Hey, big guy." He did not return my smile which immediately had me worried. "What's up?"

"Steph, you shouldn't be down here right now," he growled.

"Why not? I have something to tell Ranger." I tried to side step him but he wouldn't let me past.

"This isn't a good time," he said trying to steer me towards the elevators.

"Why the hell not?" I asked digging my heels into the ground.

"Just go back up to seven, Steph. I'll tell him you were here."

The next time he tried to lead me away, I slipped under his arm and towards Ranger's office. When I got there, I didn't bother to knock just turned the door knob and walked in. "Ranger, you should call of your…" I had finally made it in.

There he was sitting on his couch with his tongue down the throat of some blond girl. I felt my heart squeeze painfully in my chest and I made a small noise.

Ranger pulled away and turned towards me.

I ran.

I ran all the way to the sidewalk outside Rangeman before I realized he hadn't even bothered to chase after me. I think that was what hurt the most, him not following me.

It wasn't until I had turned a block later and I was sure none of the Rangeman cameras could see me that I let myself fall apart. I slid down onto a bench in front of a café and sobbed until my heart began to feel cold.

Then, I turned my purse over and emptied it onto the bench seat beside me. First, I took my cell phone and threw it on the ground and stomped on it until it broke into a million pieces. I picked up the pieces and threw them away in the trash can conveniently next to the bench. Next, I picked up everything that was in my purse except for my wallet and then just tossed it all, including the purse, into the trash.

Now that I was sure there were none of _his_ trackers on me, I walked to a pay phone and called the only person I was 100% sure I could trust not to contact Ranger.

"Mary Lou?" My voice cracked when she picked up.

"Where are you? I'll drop the kids off at moms then I'll come pick you up." She always knew just what I needed.

I nodded then remembered she couldn't see me. "Thanks." I said and told her the address of the café. After I had hung up, I went back to the bench and sat with my hand on my stomach quietly reassuring my unborn child that everything was going to be okay. I had only known about him or her for a few hours but I already felt attached. I couldn't drink myself into oblivion this time like I did when the Dick and then Joe cheated on me. I didn't even really care about that this time. This was different from the other times. Ranger was different.

God, what could I have done to deserve this?

**The title is from the song **_**Full Circle**_** by Miley Cyrus. Even if you don't like her you should listen to the song it's kind of where I got the idea for the story from so, just look it up and listen to it okay?**

***New Chapter will be up as soon as I get internet back which should be Thursday. **

**Please review. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters.**

When Mary Lou's van came to a stop in front of the bench, I hopped up and got in, carrying my wallet.

She handed me a bag from tasty pastry and one from the drug store and I knew it was a good idea to call her. I immediately started in on the Boston crèmes as she drove to her house. "I love you, Mary Lou," I told her. "You are the best friend any girl could ask for. I wish I was gay. I would marry you."

"As flattering as that is, I'm straight." She laughed.

"Maybe I will turn gay; I'd probably have more luck with my own sex. At least I understand other girls," I said. "Oh who am I kidding? A girl would probably cheat on me too. Why doesn't anyone want to be with me?" I started bawling. "I must be pretty stupid. No one loves me enough to not cheat on me. Why can't a guy just be happy with me? Why can't he just love me? Why am I so fucking stupid."

Mary Lou just listened as I ranted to her. By the time we pulled up at her house I was done with all the donuts and was ready to start in on what I figured was ice cream in the drug store bag.

We went inside and sat side by side on her couch. Then she reached for the drug store bag that I had set on the coffee table and pulled out two gallons of ice cream, handing one to me. She stood and walked into the kitchen and came back with two spoons.

"How about you start from the beginning, tell me everything that happened." She coaxed.

I just sat and ate a few spoonfuls of ice cream then began.

"Ranger and I have been living together for the past year, as you know. Well, we decided we were ready to try for a baby about two months ago and today I found out I'm pregnant." I paused and took a deep breath.

"That's great, Steph," Mary Lou said.

"I thought so too, until I went downstairs to tell him." I continued. "Tank was acting strange and telling me to go back upstairs. I thought it was weird but I figured Ranger was just busy and Tank didn't want me bothering him. I knew, though, that Ranger wouldn't want me to wait until later to tell him. So I got passed Tank and I open the door and…" I start crying again.

Mary Lou pulled me to her and I waited until I pulled myself together again to continue. "When I opened the door, Ranger was there kissing someone else. It definitely wasn't just a friendly kiss either. So I ran out of there."

"Oh Steph, I know Ranger loves you. Did you give him a chance to explain what happened? I'm sure it wasn't what it looked like."

"He didn't follow me, Mary Lou, he didn't even care enough to follow me. It was obviously what it looked like otherwise he would have come after me. He would have tried to call me."

"And he hasn't?" Mary Lou asked.

"Well, no, at least I don't think so; I smashed my phone so he wouldn't be able to find me."

Just then Mary Lou's cell phone rang almost on cue.

She flipped it open. "Hello?"

I knew who it was almost instinctively.

"Do you want to talk to him?" She held her hand over the microphone.

I shook my head.

"I really think you should," She said holding it out to me.

I nodded and reluctantly put the phone up to my ear. I didn't say anything.

"Babe?"

I was silent.

"Look, come home and let me explain."

I didn't say anything.

"Please?"

I hung up on him.

I handed the phone to Mary Lou. _Oh shit, I just hung up on Batman. _

I started to hyperventilate and Mary Lou pushed my head between my legs. "I hung up on Batman. He's going to kill me or worse send me to some third world country." I panicked.

"Come on he wouldn't do that to you."

"You don't know him like I do."

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. "Shit Mary Lou. I have to get out of here." I raced to the back door.

I looked out the small window in the door and didn't see anyone so I ran outside. Suddenly I was air borne and thrown over Ranger's shoulder like a sack of potatoes, my head very close to his tight ass.

"Put. Me. Down." I enunciated each word. When he didn't comply I started pounding my fists on his back and kicking my legs. He smacked my ass and continued on his way.

I was put down into the passenger seat of his Cayenne and he crouched down in the door way, blocking any chance I had of escaping. I stared out the windshield refusing to meet his eyes.

"Babe." He said. "Stephanie, look at me," he said when I didn't respond. Crap he's mad; he never uses my full name.

I turned towards him slowly. He didn't have his blank mask up like I thought he would. He let me see his love for me and anger all at the same time.

"Babe, it wasn't what it looked like."

I snorted.

"What?"

"That's what they all say."

"I was kissing her." I felt my eyes fill with tears and looked away.

"Let me finish," he said. "I never wanted you to see that. I told you once my life doesn't lend itself to relationships and this is why."

"Because you're a man whore?" I snorted.

"No it's because sometimes, I have to pretend to like someone so they will give me information. That girl was the wife of an arms dealer we have been trying to catch for a long time. I had to pretend I was into her. I don't nor will I ever love anyone the way I love you. _Tu eres mi corazon y mi vida." _(You are my heart and my life.)

"Were you going to sleep with her?" I asked.

"I would have before I met you but now? No," he said.

"I'm sorry I overreacted," I said. I put my arms around his neck and held on tight.

We stayed that way for a while until he pulled back. "So, Tank told me you had something to tell me?"

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot," I said. I pulled a plastic Ziploc bag out of my pocket and handed it to him. He looked confused for a second then he pulled me out of the car and swung me around in his arms.

"We're going to have a baby!" he practically yelled. Then he was kissing me. He pushed the car door closed then leaned me up against it. Just when it was getting good, I heard Mary Lou call out from the porch. "Get a room!" I pulled back laughing.

"You're just jealous that Lenny's not here."

"Damn straight," Mary Lou said. "Now go home." She escaped into her house.

Ranger smiled at me. "I think we've been kicked out."

"Better take me home so you can finish what you started, Batman."

And he did. All night long.

THE END!

**I know some of you will be disappointed that I am ending it here but I know that if I try to continue it, I will just end up leaving you hanging and never ending it. ****I have never finished a story in my life so I'm pretty proud of myself for finishing this one even though it is short. My ultimate goal is to write one full length story so be on the look out for it. **

**I hope you enjoyed this short story. Reviews Welcome. :-)**


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